Totally unrelated, but Ed Bolsom’s introduction to Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (Whitman Making Books, Books Making Whitman) is one of the most interesting literary histories I’ve come across. I probably post something about it on TeleRead later, but here’s a fun part:

Late in his life, Whitman was visited by two college students from Trenton, New Jersey, who asked him for advice for young writers. The poet answered, “Whack away at everything pertaining to literary life—mechanical part as well as the rest. Learn to set type, learn to work at the ‘case,’ learn to be a practical printer, and whatever you do learn condensation.” As Whitman himself discovered throughout his career, if you have controversial and unorthodox things to say, you’d better know how to print them yourself.